Health Canada says it is “reviewing” the safety of drinks containing high alcohol by volume, following news out of Quebec that the death of a 14-year-old girl may have been linked to this type of drink.

The department said in a statement that it is looking into “large-volume, single-serve alcoholic beverages to assess their safety, and will take any necessary action to help protect the health and safety of Canadians,” and issued a warning to Canadians to be careful when consuming those types of beverages.

A Health Canada spokesperson confirmed its review includes examining how it regulates those products.

Senator Andre Pratte and Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard have both recently called on Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor and her department, respectively, to look into the health risks associated with alcoholic energy drinks and sugary alcoholic beverages following the death.

“Health Canada is in contact with Quebec provincial authorities and is working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to learn more about the product that may have been a factor in the death of the 14-year-old Quebec girl, as well as similar products that may be on the market,” a statement Health Canada issued Wednesday said.

Health Canada issued the statement to warn Canadians to be careful when consuming those kinds of beverages with high alcohol by volume and understand that they come with risks.

“Many single-serve alcohol products are intensely flavoured and are high in sugar, which could cause consumers not to realize how much alcohol they are actually consuming,” it said. “Some of these products contain more than three standard alcohol drinks in one serving.”

The caffeinated alcoholic drink ‘FCKD Up’ is being pulled from store shelves in Quebec after media reported that a 14-year-old girl from Laval, Que., had consumed the drink before she disappeared and was found dead last week near a stream. Police are still waiting on a toxicology report.

The Montreal-area manufacturer of FCKD Up issued a statement over the weekend saying that it now believes that category of drink “should not even exist,” and that it’s ceasing production of FCKD UP immediately.

The drink was designed to compete against Four Loko, which has an alcohol volume of 11.9 per cent, the maximum allowed for that type of product.

“With hindsight, I think it was a mistake to enter this category to compete with Four Loko,” said Aldo Geloso, co-president of the Geloso Group.